Sign up to receive free email alerts when patent applications with chosen keywords are publishedSIGN UP

Abstract:

A computerized method for accessing a business object for a user defined
process includes receiving at a computer system a request for generation
of a user process for access to a business object, and generating via the
computer system an SADL (Service Adaptation Definition Language) from a
data mapping of business object data of the business object, wherein the
data mapping includes a mapping of the data mapping. The computer method
further includes generating via the computer system a plurality of
artifacts to support the user process, wherein the SADL file is an
artifact for designing the user process at a design time and for run time
execution of the user process.

Claims:

1. A computerized method for accessing a business object for a user
defined process comprises: receiving at a computer system a request for
generation of a user process for access to a business object; generating
via the computer system an SADL (Service Adaptation Definition Language)
from a data mapping of business object data of the business object,
wherein the data mapping includes a mapping of the data mapping; and
generating via the computer system a plurality of artifacts to support
the user process, wherein the SADL file is an artifact for designing the
user process at a design time and for run time execution of the user
process.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising packing via the computer
system a message at a run time of the user process according to the data
mapping of the SADL file.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the packing step includes packing the
message via a process agent operating according to the mapping of the
SADL file.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the process agent is generated via the
computer system without user input at a design time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the SADL file is an XML file.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving at the computer
system a user selection of a data mapping from source/sending business
object to the business object, wherein the business object is a
target/receiving business object; generating via the computer system a
second SADL file from the data mapping for a first data mapping of
source/second business object data of a source business object to a
message; and wherein generating the first mentioned SADL includes
generating via the computer system a second SADL file from the data
mapping for a second data mapping of the source/second business object
data in the message to the target/receiving business object, wherein the
second data mapping includes information for a hierarchical structure of
the target/receiving business object, and the first data mapping and the
second data mapping include mappings of the data mapping.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second SADL file is an artifact for
designing the user process at the design time and for the run time
execution of the user process.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprises a computer program
product, which includes steps for a computerized method including:
receiving at a computer system a request for generation of a user process
for access to a business object; generating via the computer system an
SADL (Service Adaptation Definition Language) from a data mapping of
business object data of the business object, wherein the data mapping
includes a mapping of the data mapping; and generating via the computer
system a plurality of artifacts to support the user process, wherein the
SADL file is an artifact for designing the user process at a design time
and for run time execution of the user process.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium 8, wherein the steps for
the method further include packing via the computer system a message at a
run time of the user process according to the data mapping of the SADL
file.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium 9, wherein the packing
step includes packing the message via a process agent operating according
to the mapping of the SADL file.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium 10, wherein the process
agent is generated via the computer system without user input at a design
time.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium 8, wherein the steps for
the method further include: receiving at the computer system a user
selection of a data mapping from source/sending business object to the
business object, wherein the business object is a target/receiving
business object; generating via the computer system a second SADL file
from the data mapping for a first data mapping of source/second business
object data of a source business object to a message; and wherein
generating the first mentioned SADL includes generating via the computer
system a second SADL file from the data mapping for a second data mapping
of the source/second business object data in the message to the
target/receiving business object, wherein the second data mapping
includes information for a hierarchical structure of the target/receiving
business object, and the first data mapping and the second data mapping
include mappings of the data mapping.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium 13, wherein the second
SADL file is an artifact for designing the user process at the design
time and for the run time execution of the user process.

15. A computer system configured to design and execution of a user
defined process comprising: a processor configured to execute computer
code; and a memory coupled configured to store computer code and transfer
the computer code to the processor for execution wherein the computer
code includes: code for receiving at the computer system a request for
generation of a user process for access to a business object; code for
generating an SADL (Service Adaptation Definition Language) from a data
mapping of business object data of the business object, wherein the data
mapping includes a mapping of the data mapping; and code for generating a
plurality of artifacts to support the user process, wherein the SADL file
is an artifact for designing the user process at a design time and for
run time execution of the user process.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the computer code further
includes code for packing a message at a run time of the user process
according to the data mapping of the SADL file.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the SADL file is an XML
file.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the user process is for
printing the business object data via a front-end printing or a backend
printing.

19. The computer system of claim 15, the computer code further includes:
computer code for receiving at the computer system a user selection of a
data mapping from source/sending business object to the business object,
wherein the business object is a target/receiving business object;
computer code for generating via the computer system a second SADL file
from the data mapping for a first data mapping of source/second business
object data of a source business object to a message; and wherein the
computer code for generating the first mentioned SADL includes computer
code for generating via the computer system a second SADL file from the
data mapping for a second data mapping of the source/second business
object data in the message to the target/receiving business object,
wherein the second data mapping includes information for a hierarchical
structure of the target/receiving business object, and the first data
mapping and the second data mapping include mappings of the data mapping.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the second SADL file is an
artifact for designing the user process at the design time and for the
run time execution of the user process.

Description:

BACKGROUND

[0001] The present invention relates to computers processes added to
existing network processes, and in particular relates to processes added
by customers to existing network-business processes for business object
access and modification.

[0002] Unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this
section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not
admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

[0003] Computer systems that provide data hosting and applications that
operate on hosted data are becoming increasingly popular. Businesses,
government entities, and other organizations (generally referred to as
users herein) with relatively large bodies of data are increasingly using
such computer systems to host their data. Such computer system are
typically maintained and operated by businesses that are independent from
the users that contract with the businesses for the use of such computer
systems for hosting data. Computer systems configured to host data and
provide applications for the hosted data provide numerous advantages for
users, such as: reducing user-overhead costs, providing reliable access
to hosted data via a variety of computer platforms (e.g., desktop
computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, etc.), global access to
hosted data, a large variety of applications available for the hosted
data, and the like.

[0004] While a variety a applications are often provided by businesses
offering computer systems for hosting data, users using computers systems
for data hosting often require processes (generally referred to as user
processes herein) that are not provided by the computer systems.
Businesses offering computers systems for hosting data typically have
limited resources for developing and maintaining specific user processes
for the numerous users who desire user processes that are not provided by
the computer systems. Further, developing user processes is typically
complicated where a relatively large variety of artifacts need to be
created to create and execute the user processes. Small and medium size
users (e.g., small and medium size businesses) that want to generate user
processes often do not have adequate resources for developing,
implementing, and maintaining such user processes.

[0005] Thus, there is a need for providing improved computer system that
are configured to provide computerized tools that provide for users to
develop user processes that integrate with existing applications offered
by the computer system. It is desirable that the computerized tools are
configured to allow users to develop user processes, use the user
processes with the user's hosted data, and maintain the user processes
for the "life" of the user processes. There is a further need that
computerized tools for generating user processes generate and maintain
the artifacts needed for supporting the user processes where the user may
not be aware that artifacts are being created and used for the user
processes.

SUMMARY

[0006] The present invention relates to processes added to existing
network applications, and in particular relates to user processes added
by customers to existing network-business applications for business
object access and modification.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a
computerized method for accessing a business object for a user defined
process includes receiving at a computer system a request for generation
of a user process for access to a business object, and generating via the
computer system an SADL (Service Adaptation Definition Language) from a
data mapping of business object data of the business object, wherein the
data mapping includes a mapping of the data mapping. The method further
includes generating via the computer system a plurality of artifacts to
support the user process, wherein the SADL file is an artifact for
designing the user process at a design time and for run time execution of
the user process.

[0008] According to a specific embodiment, the method further includes
packing via the computer system a message at a run time of the user
process according to the data mapping of the SADL file.

[0009] According to another specific embodiment, the packing step includes
packing the message via a process agent operating according to the
mapping of the SADL file.

[0010] According to another specific embodiment, the process agent is
generated via the computer system without user input at a design time.

[0011] According to another specific embodiment, the SADL file is an XML
file.

[0012] According to another specific embodiment, the user process is for
printing the business object data via a front-end printing or a backend
printing.

[0013] According to another specific embodiment, the method further
includes receiving at the computer system a user selection for a print
form for the user process.

[0014] According to another specific embodiment, the method further
includes receiving at the computer system a user selection of a data
mapping from source/sending business object to the business object. The
business object is a target/receiving business object. The method further
includes generating via the computer system a second SADL file from the
data mapping for a first data mapping of source/second business object
data of a source business object to a message. The step of generating the
first mentioned SADL includes generating via the computer system a second
SADL file from the data mapping for a second data mapping of the
source/second business object data in the message to the target/receiving
business object, wherein the second data mapping includes information for
a hierarchical structure of the target/receiving business object. The
first data mapping and the second data mapping include mappings of the
data mapping.

[0015] According to another specific embodiment, the second SADL file is
an artifact for designing the user process at the design time and for the
run time execution of the user process.

[0016] According to a specific embodiment, the method further includes
packing via the computer system a message at a run time of the user
process according to the first data mapping of the first SADL file, and
unpacking via the computer system the message at the run time of the user
process according to the second data mapping of the second SADL file.

[0017] According to another specific embodiment, the packing step includes
packing the message via a process agent operating according to the first
mapping of the first SADL file.

[0018] According to another specific embodiment, the process agent is
generated via the computer system without user input at a design time.

[0019] According to another specific embodiment, the unpacking step
includes unpacking the message via a process agent operating according to
the second mapping of the second SADL file.

[0020] According to another specific embodiment, the unpacking step
includes accessing the target/receiving business object for accessing the
target/receiving business object data.

[0021] According to another specific embodiment, the unpacking step
includes accessing the target/receiving business object for modifying the
target business object data with the source/sending business object data
in the message.

[0022] According to another specific embodiment, the second SADL file
specifies a hierarchical mapping of the source/sending business object
data in the message to a hierarchical structure of the target/receiving
business object.

[0023] According to another specific embodiment, the first SADL file is a
first XML file, and the second SADL file is a second XML file.

[0024] According to another specific embodiment, the method further
includes displaying via the computer system a structure of the
source/sending business object and a structure for the target/receiving
business object for user selection of the source/second business object
data and the target/receiving business object date for mapping the
source/sending business object data to the target/receiving business
object date.

[0025] According to another embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable
medium comprises a computer program product, which includes steps for a
computerized method including: receiving at a computer system a request
for generation of a user process for access to a business object, and
generating via the computer system an SADL (Service Adaptation Definition
Language) from a data mapping of business object data of the business
object, wherein the data mapping includes a mapping of the data mapping.
The steps of the method further includes generating via the computer
system a plurality of artifacts to support the user process, wherein the
SADL file is an artifact for designing the user process at a design time
and for run time execution of the user process.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a computer
system configured to design and execution of a user defined process
includes a processor configured to execute computer code, and a memory
coupled configured to store computer code and transfer the computer code
to the processor for execution. The computer code includes code for
receiving a request for generation of a user process for access to a
business object, and code for generating via the computer system an SADL
(Service Adaptation Definition Language) from a data mapping of business
object data of the business object, wherein the data mapping includes a
mapping of the data mapping. The computer code further includes code for
generating a plurality of artifacts to support the user process, wherein
the SADL file is an artifact for designing the user process at a design
time and for run time execution of the user process.

[0027] The following detailed description and accompanying drawings
provide a better understanding of the nature and advantages of the
present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic of a computer system according to
one embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic of a mapping model that shows the
mapping of source business object data of the source business object to
target business object data of the target business object;

[0030] FIG. 3A is a simplified schematic of a first user interface
configured to provide user selectable options for identifying a process
for process integration;

[0031] FIG. 3B is a simplified schematic of a second user interface
configured to provide user selectable options for a use case;

[0032] FIG. 3C is a simplified schematic of a third user interface that is
configured to provide user selectable options for choosing a
target/receiving business object for the user process for an offering
actor;

[0033] FIG. 3D is a simplified schematic of a fourth user interface that
is configured to provide use selectable options for choosing a
source/sending business object for the user process for a consuming
actor;

[0034] FIG. 3E is a simplified schematic of a fifth user interface
configured to provide user selectable options for defining the message
structure and the identification attributes for the consuming actor;

[0035] FIG. 3F is a sixth user interface that may be displayed on the user
computer by the set of user tools and may be configured for defining the
mapping between the target/receiving business object and the
source/sending business object;

[0036] FIG. 3G is a seventh user interface that may be displayed on the
user computer by the set of user tools after a mapping from the
source/sending business object to the target/receiving business object is
specified where the seventh user interface may display a summary of the
data mapping;

[0037] FIG. 4, which is a high-level flow diagram of a computerized method
for generating a data mapping according to one embodiment of the present
invention; and

[0038] FIG. 5 is a further simplified schematic that represents a process
at run time for a particular use case (e.g., A2A) of the present
invention and shows various artifacts created a design time and/or run
time that may be required for the process at run time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The present invention generally provides a computer system and a
computerized method for integrating user processes with existing
applications, and in particular relates to integrating user processes
developed by users with existing business applications for a variety of
use cases where business objects are accessed and/or modified by the user
processes.

[0040] In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous
examples and specific details are set forth in order to provide a
thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident,
however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention as defined
by the claims may include some or all of the features in these examples
alone or in combination with other features described below, and may
further include modifications and equivalents of the features and
concepts described herein.

[0041] FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic of a computer system 100 according
to one embodiment of the present invention. Computer system 100 includes
a server computer 105, a computer storage 110 configured store a database
115, a set of user computers 120, a computer storage 130, a user database
135, and a computer network 125 communicatively linking server computer
105 and the set of user computers 120. Each user computer is labeled with
the base reference numeral 120 and an alphabetic suffix. A set as
referred to herein may include one or more elements. Computer network 125
may link server computer 105 to computer storage 110, and may link the
user computers to computer storage 130. Computer network 125 may include
one or more intranets, the Internet, or the like. Various portions of
computer network 125 may not be accessible to other portion of the
computer network. For example, various intranets included in computer
network 125 might not be accessible to various other intranets included
in computer network 125.

[0042] Server computer 105 may be configured to operate a server operating
system and may include set of processors 106 and a non-transitory memory
107. Non-transitory memory 107 may be configured to store computer code
that may be executable by the set of processors 106 of server computer
105 or executable by other server computers. Each user computer may be a
desktop computer, a laptop computer, or the like. Further, each user
computer may include a set of processors 121 (the processors are labeled
121a, 121b . . . 121n in FIG. 1) and a non-transitory memory 122 (the
non-transitory memories are labeled 122a, 122b . . . 122n in FIG. 1) on
which computer code may be stored. The computer code stored on a
non-transitory memory 122 may be executable by an associated processor
121 of a user computer. A non-transitory memory may include semiconductor
memory, optical memory, magnetic memory, or the like. The computer code
stored on non-transitory memories 107 and 122 may encode the computer
methods described herein and during operation a processor may carry out
the steps of the computer method embodiments described herein.

[0043] According to one embodiment, server computer 105 is a
business-objects server configured to store, modify, and access business
objects 116 in database 115. According to a further embodiment, server
computer 105 is an advanced business application programming (ABAP)
application server, which is a specific type of business-objects server.
ABAP is a high-level programming language created by SAP AG of Germany,
and is a language that may be used for programming the server computer
for building applications that provide services, such as building
business applications.

[0044] According to one embodiment, via server computer 105, a user
computer, such as user computer 120a, is configured to access and/or
modify the business objects stored in database 115. The user computers
may be computers operated by a business, government body, or the like
(referred to herein generally as users) where the user is a customer of
another business operating server 105 and database 115. Database 115 may
be configured to store the user's business data or the like and the
server computer may be configured to provide applications configured to
operate on the stored business data. The user computers may access
business data in database 115 via messages transmitted from the user
computers to the server computer. For example, messages may be
transmitted from an application operating on the user computer to an
application operating on the server computer for accessing business
objects stored in database 115. Messages are one type of artifact
generally used for accessing a database. Numerous other artifacts are
also typically required to access database 115 as will be well understood
by those of skill in the art. For example, prior to using a message at
run time, a message type and a message specification are defined at run
time or design time. The specification for the message is one example of
another artifact generally needed before a message can be issued.
Additional artifacts generally used for database access include the
process agents configured for packing and unpacking messages and the
like.

[0045] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a set of user
tools 140 is provided for operation by a user on a user computer (e.g.,
user computer 120a) where the set of user tools is configured for use at
a development stage of a user process so that a user my specify a
business object (i.e., a target business object), which are stored in
database 115 and which the user would like to access and/or modify at a
run time of the user process. For example, the set of user tools 140 may
be configured allow a user to specify a process for: i) storing data in a
target business object from a source business object, ii) reading data
from the target business object for various purposes, such as for use in
an application, iii) printing, iv) a query definition, v) an XML file
input, vi) internal communications, vii) external communication, viii)
formatting (e.g., formatting a PDF document), or the like. The set of
user tools may 140 also be configured to allow the user to select the
source business object. The source business objects 136 may business
objects that are stored in the user database 135 in the computer storage
130.

[0046] The set of user tools may be configured for allowing a user, via a
user computer, to specify a data mapping of data from the source business
object to the target business object. The data mapping may be specified
at design time of the user process for use at run time of the user
process. According to one specific embodiment, the set of user tools may
be configured to allow a user to specify a data mapping (e.g., for the
storage) of data from a source business object to a target business
object where the nodes of the two business objects are not the same. For
example, the source business object may be flat and the target business
object may include a plurality of nodes.

[0047] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the data
mapping specified by a user at design time may be stored in a set of SADL
(Service Adaptation Definition Language) files, which in particular
embodiments of the present invention may include XML files. The data
mapping specification may be stored in other file formats according to
alternative embodiments. The set of user tools operating on a user
computer, or a portion of the set of user tools operating on a server
computer, may be configured to generate the set of SADL files from the
data mapping specified by the user via the set of user tools. According
to one embodiment, the set of SADL files may be stored by the server
computer in a database of artifact resources. The SADL files are
artifacts used for the user process specified by the user via the set of
user tools. All other artifacts (not including the set of SADL files)
required for the user process are generated by the user computer or the
server computer operating the set of user tools or other applications
specifically configured to generate the other artifacts. As described
above, other artifacts that may be required for a user process may
include a message type, process agent specifications and operations, etc.
These other artifacts (i.e., artifacts that are exclusive of the set of
SADL files) may be generated without a user's specific knowledge of the
generation of the artifacts, the use of the artifacts, specific details
of the artifacts, etc.

[0048] The set of SADL files may be a primary artifact for the sender side
(e.g., for initiation of a user process, such as a user computer
initiating a user process) and the receiver side (e.g., the server
computer accessing and/or modifying the target business object in the
database). The set of SADL files may also store information for a
selection of the source business object structure and may store
information for a selection of the target business object structure. That
is, the data mapping specified by the set of SADL files may specify two
mappings for: 1) mapping source business object data from a source
business object to a message (i.e., a first mapping) and 2) mapping
source business object data from the message to a target business object
(i.e., a second mapping). The set of SADL files may include a first SADL
mapping file for the first mapping and a second SADL mapping file for the
second mapping. The first mapping of the first SADL mapping file may be
for a canonical mapping of the source business object to the message.
That is, the first mapping may be a one-to-one mapping where the
structure of the source business object is maintained by the message. The
second mapping of the second SADL mapping file may preserve the
hierarchical structure (also referred to as a node structure) of the
target business object and include the data mapping of data from the
source business object to the target business object as specified by a
user via the user computer operating the set of user tools. As described
above the source business object and the target business object may have
different node structures (e.g., flat, multiple nodes, etc.) and the
hierarchy structure of the second SADL file represents the differences in
the node structures so that data from the source business object may be
mapped as specified by the user to the target business object.

[0049] FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic of a mapping model 200 that shows
the mapping of source business object data of a source business object
205 to target business object data of the target business object 210. A
first SADL file 215 (e.g., an XML file) may include the one-to-one
mapping of source business object 205 to a message 220 (e.g., an XML
message). A second SADL file 225 (e.g., an XML file) may include a model
for the preserving the hierarchical mapping of the source business object
data of source business object 205 to the hierarchy of nodes of target
business object 210.

[0050] As described briefly above, a user computer, for example, user
computer 120a is configured to operate the set of user tools 140
configured to allow a user to identify business objects for mapping and
to identify user processes that may access the business objects via user
computer 120a, for example, and via the server computer 105. Also as
briefly as described above, the set of user tools 140 may also operate in
part on server computer 105. The set of user tools may be served to the
user computer by server computer 105 or another server computer over
network 125. The portion of the set of user tools 140 operating on the
user computer may be a front end of the set of user tools operating on
server computer 105 and may provide a user interface for the set of user
tools on the user computer. The set of user tools are sometimes referred
to as a wizard as the set of user tools may be configured to guide a user
through steps for identifying business objects and user processes.

[0051] FIGS. 3A-3G show example user interfaces that may be provided by
the set of user tools on a user computer for user interaction for
identifying business objects and identifying a user process in which the
identified business objects may be accessed and/or modified. FIGS. 3A-3G
are described in combination with FIG. 4, which is a high-level flow
diagram of a computerized method for generating a data mapping according
to one embodiment of the present invention. The high-level flow diagram
is exemplary and various steps of the computerized method may be added
and/or combined without deviating from the purview of the method as will
be understood by those of skill in the art. If will also be readily
apparent that some steps in the computerized method may be switched
(e.g., steps 405 and 410 described below) without deviating from the
purview of the method as will be further understood by those of skill in
the art. FIG. 3A is a simplified schematic of a first user interface 300
configured to provide user selectable options for identifying a user
process 305 for process integration. FIG. 3B is a simplified schematic of
a second user interface 310 configured to provide user selectable options
for a use case 315. The example use case is for an internal communication
(application to application (A2A) communication) or for process
integration. Other user selectable use cases may include: external
communication (e.g., with a third party, such as for a business to
business (B2B communication), a web service consumption, an event
publication, and an event subscription (step 400). The second user
interface may be configured to allow a user to specify an integrations
pattern for the user process where the integration process may be for a
one-way notification, a request/confirmation, or a late request. The
second user interface may also allow a user to specify whether the
identified user process is new or existing.

[0052] FIG. 3C is a simplified schematic of a third user interface 320
that is configured to provide user selectable options for choosing a
target/receiving business object for the user process (step 405) for an
"offering actor." Third user interface 320 may be configured to allow for
the selection of a target/receiving business object via a root node.
Alternative embodiments may be configured to provide user selectable
options for selecting sub-nodes of a target/receiving business object. At
a step 405, the user computer, via the set of user tools, is configured
to receive input for a selection of a target/receiving business object.

[0053] FIG. 3D is a simplified schematic of a fourth user interface 330
that is configured to provide use selectable options for choosing a
source/sending business object for the user process for a "consuming
actor." Fourth user interface 330 may be configured to allow for the
selection of a source/sending business object via a root node.
Alternative embodiments may be configured to provide user selectable
options for selecting sub-nodes of a source/sending business object. At a
step 410, the user computer, via the set of user tools, is configured to
receive input for a selection of a source/sending business object.

[0054] FIG. 3E is a simplified schematic of a fifth user interface 340
configured to provide user selectable options for defining the message
structure and the identification attributes for the consuming actor. The
fifth user interface represents the first SADL setting up the structure
of the message based from the target/receiving business object. At a step
415, the user computer, via the set of user tools, is configured to
receive the definition for the message structure and the identification
attributes for the consuming actor.

[0055] FIG. 3F is a sixth user interface 350 which may be displayed on the
user computer by the set of user tools and may be configured for defining
the mapping between the target/receiving business object and the
source/sending business object. This sixth user interface represents the
second SADL for mapping from the source/sending business object to the
target/receiving business object. At a step 420, the user computer, via
the set of user tools, is configured to receive a definition for the
mapping between the target/receiving business object and the
source/sending business object.

[0056] FIG. 3G is a seventh user interface 360 which may be displayed on
the user computer by the set of user tools after a mapping from the
source/sending business object to the target/receiving business object is
specified where the seventh user interface may display a summary of the
data mapping and may provide a user selectable option (e.g., "finish"
button) so that the data mapping may be analyzed (e.g., by the user
computer and/or the sever computer) for generation of the first and the
second SADL mapping files (step 425), and for generating the other
required artifacts for execution of the user process (step 430) where the
user does not have to aware of the generation of the other required
artifacts. In the traditional development of process a developer
generally generates substantially all of the artifacts required to
execute a process. It will be understood that the user interfaces
described above are exemplary and other user interfaces may be provided
for defining a data mapping.

[0057] According to one embodiment of the present invention, during
execution of the user process defined by a user using the set of user
tools, the SADL files are configured for use as run time artifacts. The
user process may be triggered (e.g., executed) by a variety of events,
such as an event occurring in an application operating on the user
computer or an event occurring in an application operating on the server
computer. FIG. 2 described above provides a simplified example of
artifacts for a user process and may represent a user process at run time
where the first and the second SADL files are used at run time by process
agents for packing and unpacking a message for access or modification of
a target business object.

[0058] FIG. 5 provides a further simplified schematic that represents a
user process at run time for a particular use case (e.g., A2A) of the
present invention and shows various artifacts created at design time
and/or run time that may be required for the user process at run time. At
run time outbound process agents 500 and 505 and inbound process agents
510 and 515 may operate according to the first SADL file and the second
SADL file for packing messages 520a and 520b (i.e., creating XML
messages) with source business object data of the source business object
530 or with target business object data of the target business object 535
and unpacking the messages. For example, message 520a may be packed with
source business object data by outbound process agent 500 according to
the first SADL file, and message 520a may be unpacked by inbound process
agent 510 for accessing the target business object (e.g., for reading
target business data from the target business object) and/or for
modifying the target business object with the source business object
data. As described above, the user specifying the data mapping between
the source business object and the target business object may be unaware
of the generation and use of these additional artifacts, such as the
inbound and outbound process accents which may be created at design time
and used at run time. Message 520b may be similarly packed and unpacked
and by outbound process agent 510 and inbound process agent 515. The
messages may be delivered by various methods between the user computer
and the server computer.

[0059] As described briefly above, select steps of the foregoing method
may be used in alternative use cases, such printing, which may include
front-end printing and backend printing. Printing is a user case in which
a single SADL may be used for mapping a source/sending business object
for a message for printing. Various user interface may be provided by the
set of user tools for form templates for printing. Similar to use cases,
described above, the form templates may be used for defining a mapping
for a single SADL file and other artifacts for printing may be generated
by the user computer or the server computer where a user does not have to
be aware of the generation of the other artifacts.

[0060] The above description illustrates various embodiments of the
present invention along with examples of how aspects of the present
invention may be implemented. The above examples and embodiments should
not be deemed to be the only embodiments, and are presented to illustrate
the flexibility and advantages of the present invention as defined by the
following claims. Based on the above disclosure and the following claims,
other arrangements, embodiments, implementations and equivalents will be
evident to those skilled in the art and may be employed without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims.